Digital Realty Trust, Inc. has announced the appointment of Edward Higase as managing director, Asia Pacific, responsible for overseeing all of Digital Realty's operations in the region. Higase assumed this role on February 1, 2016 and will be based in Singapore.

"Ted is an outstanding addition to the team and we are excited to welcome him aboard," said A. William Stein, Digital Realty's chief executive officer. "The Asia Pacific region represents a significant growth opportunity for Digital Realty and we expect Ted's depth of experience, proven leadership abilities and customer-centric philosophy will help us continue to solidify our position and strategically extend our footprint in the region. This is an exciting time for our business in the region because key technology trends, such as the rise of cloud computing and the rapidly emerging Internet of Things, are highlighting the need for precisely the type of agile data center infrastructure that Digital Realty provides."

Higase most recently served as president and chief executive officer of KVH Co., Ltd, a pan-Asian data center and cloud services company founded by Fidelity Investments in 1999. Prior to his role at KVH, he was managing director and executive vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa, for Global Crossing. Additionally, Higase has held a number of senior executive positions at technology and telecommunications network services companies, including Dell and AT&T. Throughout his 24-year career, Higase has successfully managed data center portfolios, helping global companies establish and/or expand their operations across the Asia Pacific region. In support of these efforts he has lived in New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney.

"I have long admired Digital Realty's high-quality data center and colocation solutions, excellent operating track record and diverse customer base, and I am thrilled to join this world-class organization," said Higase. "Asia Pacific is a rapidly-evolving region that holds immense opportunity for us. I look forward to getting to know my new colleagues and our customers better."